How to reach Manali from Chandigarh

Manali is among Himachal Pradesh’s most picturesque hill stations. Travelers wonder how to reach Manali need not bother, as the location is so well linked with a decent transport network to several other parts of the country. Here blogTricity will provide you with a one-stop guide on how to reach Manali from Chandigarh.

Manali – A Paradise in Himachal Pradesh

After spending a long time at home due to lockdown, many avid travelers must be craving for a relaxing as well as an adventurous trip. Manali is a complete package for trips such as family trips, group trips, and also solo trips. It is visited by a large number of visitors every year, due to its inherent magnificence and accessibility to the hub which is the National Capital Region.

The mountain village doesn’t have a rail station and an airline of its own hence people visiting Manali need to make their bookings pretty up till Chandigarh, if taking the train and Bhuntar airport, if planning to travel by air, respectively.

Why journey from Chandigarh to Manali?

As one of Himachal Pradesh’s best – known travel destinations, Manali is a magical land blending cultural heritage, global cultures, art and, not to mention, the fascinating Himalayan life.

The place caters to endless views of the amazing Greater Himalayas, and the exquisite multi-cultural people. Manali has become the first choice for wanderers, artistic people, and mystical seekers of everything.

It is frequently and mostly traveled from Chandigarh’s closest railway town, making this an efficient travel journey for tourists.

How to reach from Chandigarh to Manali by Road

For a swift road trip or a trip away, the route between Chandigarh and Manali is assuredly amongst the most prominent in North India. Thus, the best way to experience the same is to book a Chandigarh package tour to Manali.

On your Manali trip from Chandigarh, you’ll explore the transforming landscape from Chandigarh’s cityscape to Punjab’s lush farms and fields, gradually blending into Himachal’s elevated altitudes and running through pine woods and mountains.

Even though you can reach Manali by air and train, if you really like to cherish the views while you’re traveling, instead choose the road however there are some mesmerizing majestic views to enjoy along the way.

The location has decent road accessibility, able to serve for cities like Delhi, Ambala, Chandigarh and Shimla. Several buses, including private ones, such as the very convenient Volvo, regularly travel from Chandigarh to Manali. Besides, the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) also provides access to Himachal Pradesh from Chandigarh to Manali and various other tourist destinations. 

Just like any other Himalayan city in India, Manali too embraces alpine weather, making it chilly and snowing in the winters and pleasant in the summer. The monsoon season, however, is not so favorable to this region.

Visitors might choose to visit in the cold season based on their weather choices, and encounter a winter wonderland together with New Year celebrations.

Moreover, if you want to experience the Himalayan landscape in blossoms and greener covering, then you must visit during the spring and summer. The warmer weather is great for driving down to enjoy the trip from Chandigarh as well. Wondering how to reach Manali from Chandigarh? Here we have the complete guide for you.

Route no. 1- Via NH3

(Chandigarh- Nalagarh- Swarghat- Bilaspur- Sundernagar- Mandi- Kullu- Naggar- Manali)

Distance: 299 Km

Time: 9hr 39min

NH3 is the simplest and speediest way to cover the route between Chandigarh and Manali, as well as the most famous amongst tourists. On this journey, you may find decent traffic flow from Chandigarh to Manali although it may be higher throughout peak tourist season or vacations.

Often search for traffic condition alerts or real-time maps until you depart to get a clearer understanding of the Chandigarh to Manali route.

Bonus destinations along the way

There are several popular destinations along the way of Manali from Chandigarh. You can pay a visit to these places to enhance your traveling experience.

Ropar Wetlands, Ropar– You’ll find this massive patch of wetlands, biodiverse, just across Chandigarh city. It becomes the habitat floor of migrating birds mostly during winters and tortoises can indeed be found after the rainy season.

Gobind Sagar Lake, Bilaspur – You seem to divert from Bilaspur junction to Zakatkhana, where lake curves into the Sutlej, to reach this quiet area of the lake. You should proceed westwards to meet the lake banks.

Prashar Lake, Mandi – One such perfectly blue lake is located 9000 feet high above sea level. To reach the lake you need to drive just a few miles out of Mandi highway.

Great Himalayan National Park, Tirthan Valley– Because of its great diversity, this sanctuary is indeed very widely known and houses extravagant Himalayan biodiversity. Through Mandi take the route to Shoja so you can also make a night and camping stay.

Chandrakhani Pass, Kullu – Kullu District’s centerpiece, a mountain pass, is a luscious enclave of alpine woods and gurgling flows. You can also rest at the historic Naggar Castle, an important site in the heritage of Himachal.

Recommended places to eat

Bahadur Ka Dhaba, Bilaspur-  A renowned local restaurant that offers traditional foods and quick snacks.

Chawla’s, Mandi- One of the oldest and most trusted restaurants on this road providing all the delights of Punjabi.

Route no.2 – Via NH154 and NH3

(Chandigarh- Pinjore- Kalka- Dharampur- Barmana, Ner Chowk- Mandi- Kullu- Naggar- Manali)

Distance: 308km

Time: 12hr 49 min

Unlike the subsequent one, it is indeed a longer path. On this road you’ll most likely face some traffic, causing it a relatively slow road. So before your ride, you must depend on live traffic reports to get a fair understanding of the situation of the Chandigarh to Manali route.

Bonus destinations along the way

Pinjore Gardens, Pinjore –   The place has lush green lawns with grounds, ponds, and shrubbery. It becomes even more fascinating because of the Mughal Sultanate inspired architecture encircling the city.

Kalka-Shimla Railway, Kalka – There is a hillside rail line popularly known as toy train and pictures the ideal views. The region even has a railway museum, containing cultural antiques.

Kasauli  – You can go for a side trip to visit another of the vintage location of Himachal Pradesh. It is just as spectacular as it can be, with jungle walks, breathtaking views, and cozy rural areas.

Recommended places to eat

Heritage Haveli, Rupnagar- A town-themed, family-run restaurant that serves genuine Punjabi food and culinary delights from North India.

Shelly Restaurant, Kalka – This comfortable regional cafe serves food platters, treats, and much more.

Kasauli Café, Kasauli – It is a trendy café, also known by many visitors and travelers, providing Chinese contemporary cuisine, appetizers, and drinks.

Other ways of traveling from Chandigarh to Manali

How to reach Manali from Chandigarh via Train

As direct trains from Chandigarh to Manali are not available. There are, though, two train trails that will carry visitors to nearby cities.

One of these is the singular gage, hillside rail line from Chandigarh to Kalka, and the other is a normal train route to Joginder Nagar near Bir-Billing. You’ll need to catch a bus or a car from that to get to Manali. However, none of these trains are fast and the journey takes almost 20 hours.

 Furthermore, Chandigarh (315 km), or Pathankot (290 km), is the nearest train station. You can travel by train to either of these cities and then ride a scheduled bus or a taxi to Manali.

 If you’ve not been able to make reservations, daily hourly busses to Manali run although you could make a location booking as well. The two train stations are well linked through a comprehensive railway network to major cities in India.

You can visit IRCTC and follow their recent timetable for revised railway schedules for Chandigarh to Manali.

How to Reach Manali from Chandigarh via Air

Bhuntar is the closest airport to this charming hill station. It is known as Kullu Manali Airport, it is about 50 km away from Manali and 10 km from Kullu. Major airlines like Air India Regional and Jagson Airlines operate daily flights from Delhi, Chandigarh and Pathankot to Bhuntar. When you enter the airport, prepaid cabs can indeed be hired to get to Manali.

Chandigarh and Manali have various airlines accessible but they are not as frequent as you might expect. The average duration of travel from Chandigarh to Manali is between 1 to 4 hours, depends on the route network.

It probably depends on the reservation window, access to airplanes, and trip season. However, the Chandigarh to Manali plane ride can charge you something from INR 2000 to 10000. You can indeed visit any online booking platform to book a flight to Manali for the best offers from Chandigarh.

Places you can visit in Manali

When it comes to the places to visit in Manali, there is indeed a lot can choose from. Snuggled among the magnificent Pir-Panjal and Dhauladhar Ranges, Manali’s hill station is a perfect escape from the growls of towns.

 Manali is a gateway to a vast array of delightful life experiences, from the renowned Hadimba Temple and the Vashisht warm water springs to Gadhan Thekchokling Gumpa Tibetan Centre. Thrill addicts can however head for paragliding, zorbing, and skiing in Solang Valley.

Manali also has something for tourists, from travelers camping out in the liberal hippie villages to travelers partaking in adventure sports.

You can enjoy delicious cuisines at places such as Chopsticks (Mall Road), Café Nirvana (Old Manali), Drifter’s Café (Old Manali), People Art Café & Lounge (Old Manali), and Johnson’s Café (Circuit House Road), etc.

Accommodations in Manali

Here, we will provide you three known hotels in Manali where you can enjoy your stay under their amazing hospitality and services.

Orchard Greens

Zostel

Hotel Thomas Villa

A memorable journey to Manali

The trip to Manali from Chandigarh is indeed a memorable and delightful experience providing you with an amazing life journey. The sightseeing in Manali is breathtaking and mesmerizing. Thus, you must give it a try and visit the majestic mountains of Manali. We hope that our blog on how to reach Manali from Chandigarh comes in handy for you.

Next Read How to Reach Chandigarh High Court

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